At the same time the revolver mechanism was taking the pistol market by storm in the late 19th century, three companies were were vying for their very own slice of the handgun market. While you may have heard of the four-barrelled Lancaster, Jonathan takes a look at two similar designs to see who...

So often arms designers get automatic pistols wrong. But, there's a lot right about Beretta's M93R Raffica. Despite receiving Jonathan's seal of approval, the M93R never really went anywhere, other than featuring in one of our Keeper of Firearms and Artillery's favourite cult films: RoboCop.

Thi...

Jonathan unveils a cult classic firearm—the MP5, but with a twist. Discover the more powerful variant developed for the FBI and delve into its enduring legacy in pop culture.

This week's episode combines one of the world's most recognisable and elusive firearms with an interesting idiosyncrasy of firearms design: the wooden mock-up. No, we don't have a real G11 (Bundeswehr if you're watching, you know where we are), Jonathan examines this sales replica, which is an ac...

With only around 15 in existence, Jonathan gets up close with the original type of rotating revolver – the manually rotating carbine revolver.

Made nearly a century prior to the development and popularisation of self-rotating systems by Elisha Collier, Artemis Wheeler, and then Samuel Colt, th...

Jonathan explores H&K's strange decision to plonk a low-power optic on a HK33, removing the excellent H&K iron sites in the mid-1980s.

This specific weapon is shrouded in a host of strange quirks, as our Keeper of Firearms and Artillery explains.

There's a very good chance you've heard of Britain's famous fighter aircraft that defended the skies of Britain, preventing Nazi invasion during the Second World War. But, have you heard of one of the key weapons that helped to make them quite so successful? Join Jonathan for a deep dive into the...

The Martini-Henry is one of Britain's best recognised and well-known historical firearms. This week's episode features a super-rare variant.

Searching for a way of improving the breechloader, trials were laid out for a thumb-trigger configuration, popular with target shooters and hunters at the ...

Derived from the unmistakable AR-15, subtle improvements on Eugene Stoner's iconic design mean the HK416 has found widespread use in militaries around the world. Join Jonathan as he examines just what sets it apart.

This special episode is brought to you by World of Guns from @NobleEmpire. Delv...

This pair of pioneering flintlock muskets are like none we've shown on this series before. They represent an 18th century attempt to create a genuine repeater weapon. Not only were these weapons actually purchased in not insignificant numbers by one of history's most controversial organisations, ...

The FN MAG is one of the top 3 machine guns in the world today, according to Jonathan. In 2010, Barrett began a programme of improving the already excellent design focusing on reducing its 27.6lbs of weight. Remarkably, the designers managed to drop this by almost a quarter. Jonathan explains how...

What’s better than a single-barrelled Lancaster rifle? A four-barrelled one, obviously. Well, at least His Highness Maharana Shree Wakhatsingji must have thought so because that’s exactly what he got with this hefty four-barrelled sporting rifle.

Made by Charles Lancaster’s successor Henry Thor...

One of several attempts by British handgun manufacturers in the 1980s to reignite the British handgun industry was the Victory Arms MC5. Attempting to appeal to the masses with its ambidextrous controls and rapid ability to switch between calibres, it still couldn’t quite break into the market do...

Described by Jonathan as an 18th century Winchester repeater, this Lorenzoni repeater pistol combines intricate craftmanship with an ingenious mechanism for reloading on the fly. Join our Keeper of Firearms and Artillery as he delves into how this remarkable weapon functions, but also who would h...

This remarkably well made weapon was purchased by Henry VIII from Italy to arm his forces 500 years ago. The arquebus is similar to examples found on the Mary Rose and can trace its roots back to a gun making region of Italy with high repute.

To mark the 100th episode of What is this Weapon, the Royal Armouries hosted a special live episode at our flagship museum in Leeds in the UK. Befitting such a prestigious landmark for the series, our 100th weapon is one of Jonathan's all time favourites and has a back story immersed in the stale...

At the end of the Second World War, Britain looked to modernise it's small arms arsenal. With the Vickers MG a reliable but ageing weapon and the Bren limited to its 30-round magazine capacity, a more modern, belt-fed, 'general purpose machine gun' was sought. Despite excellent existing designs s...

Jonathan Ferguson pulls another obscure weapon out of our stores, focusing this week on a Colt AR-15 variant sent to the UK for testing by the British Army. Britain was looking to re-equip its infantry squad with a full package of AR-type rifles, with this example with heavier barrell and bi-pod ...

Join Jonathan Ferguson as he examines the third instalment in our Sterling assault rifle series: the SAR80. Attempting to create a legally different yet ultimately still a copy of the AR18, Sterling made huge strides from its predecessor, the LAR. But, was it enough to achieve commercial success?

Experts at the time called it: 'Clumsy ill-balanced and altogether unpleasant to handle.' Charming.

This crazy looking pistol produced by Parisian gunmakers Lefaucheux in 1925 has 2 barrels and could fire a remarkable 30-shots.

Few weapons, if any have had a greater impact on history in a shorter space of time than the Minié rifle. Introduced in a limited capacity in British service during the Crimean War (1853-56). The Minié with its revolutionary ammunition had a devastating impact against Russian troops during the co...

This is very much an anti-riot gun that's had two lives. That of which it was intended from it's development in the late 70s, and then it's popular culture life as a wholly different weapon altogether. Join Jonathan as he examines both of these stories as well as some incredible promotional foota...

The unreliability and issues with reload associated with new pistols in British service like the Enfield Marks I & II meant many officers preferred the large calibre Lancaster for a sidearm.